Larry Rosen (2010), a psychologist from California State University, Dominguez Hills, applied the acronym WMD to describe wireless mobile devices which he observed have become the ICT device of choice for the first digital generation, and that choice was driven by the social interactions available via the devices. With these devices individuals are always connected Read More
121: Teachers’ Inability to Deal with Ambiguity We all understand the need for rules. If some us decided to drive on the left side of the road while others choose the right side, roads would be very dangerous. The consequences for violating that traffic rule can vary. You may be stopped by a police officer Read More
For some decades, I advocated for “technology-rich” schools. My work was supporting IT infrastructure and teaching teachers to use technology. At the time, we were all concerned with the “digital divide,” the fact that schools in affluent communities had plenty of devices and connections compared to the scant digital resources in schools located in poor Read More
115: Bridging Gaps: Research and Instruction Education is one of several soft technologies that share an interesting trait: The scholars who discover the science behind the natural phenomena that are the basis of the technology and the practitioners who apply that science to the human purpose are different people. Other examples of human technologies marked Read More
120: Red Herrings “Continuous improvement” has been a “thing” for much longer than it has been a “thing.” Leaders and workers, including school leaders and teachers, have spent generations trying to make the systems they use for economic, political, and cultural purposes more efficient and more effective. Today, I spend time with school leaders who Read More
113: What Would Happen If…? The question “what would happen if…?” has focused human inquiry since our species evolved. Those of with a curiosity and the desire to satisfy our curiosity with answers that accurately reflect nature turn to science. Science is based on inquiry that is grounded in observation that is controlled so we Read More
111: Should Educators Judge Initiatives? At several times during my career I have found myself in a rather uncomfortable situation: I was philosophically opposed to initiatives being undertaken by the school leaders. Specific situations I remember include: The decision to replace good middle school practice with a junior high school model; The decision to replace Read More
So, the word has come out that Google+ will be shutting down. I can’t say this is going to have any affect on my digital life. I have (had) a G+ account, but found little there that wasn’t other places and the community did little to help me (of course, I did little to help Read More
In my explorations of math education this fall, I have been encountering a wide range of resources for math teachers. Many list such a wide range of problems, resources, and tools that even a good search strategy is not helpful in finding the items that are unique to the site. Open Middle is a site Read More
Unfortunately, many educators are unaware of the importance of ensuing the files they create (documents, spreadsheets, presentation) comply with the standards defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In general, ADA compliant files are more accessible to users with disabilities than those that are not. These files, for example, are structured to facilitate interpretation Read More